Villainy - Dark Loremaster
Perhaps the best-known example of Deviant villain is the kind who has decided to dabble into magic or technology that is, perhaps, best left-alone. Whether studying Necromancy, Alchemy, or simply Medical knowledge, the villainous Dark Loremaster is an academic whose interest is distasteful to virtually every segment of society. They may have religious or social reasons for searching out the Lore they seek, it is the pursuit of this morally-questionable lore that makes the villain a Deviant, making this villain a classic example of one who is a villain specifically because society labels him as such. Such a villain is very likely to be branded (justifiably) as a criminal - often because almost all cultures have very strict guidelines on what should and should not be done, whether in regards to the living (medical), dead (necromancy), or both (alchemy). Regardless of what forbidden lore the Dark Loremaster seeks, he becomes a villain specifically because of his willingness to cast morality to the wind as he pursues his art, damn what anyone else has to say. The truly villainous Dark Loremasters callously play with the lines of life and death, hurting or killing others so long as it satisifes the Loremaster's curiousity. The Dark Loremaster is not particularly charismatic when it comes to followers. However, many have found a use for a small number of loyal assistants. This is typically more for practical reasons, since someone has to tend to the Loremaster's experiments, and bodies are often too awkward to move by one's lonesome. Loremasters are rarely thus part of a larger organization; they are traditional loners, preferring their own company and the company of their experiments. Some Loremasters have an interest in sharing their knowledge; they feel that if others knew about what their dark arts could do, they would be more socially-accepted. Whilst a Loremaster's intentions may begin as noble, the common man believes it is the right of everyone - friend and enemy - to not be defiled or corrupted. Though a Loremaster could work towards a noble goal, they are still a villain as classified by society. A more sinister and cruel loremaster would have his assistants abduct subjects for him to experiment upon. This Loremaster makes the best form of villain, as the protagonists must race against the clock to rescue the victims - as well as contending with the villain and any assistants he has. Loremasters as villains are cliche for good reason; they are a sinister force who defiles many sacred traditions of society. For this reason, GMs should take care to make their Dark Loremaster villains more complete and fleshed-out. He is the most persecuted villain type in any given setting, yet he has the most potential to unnerve the protagonists on many different levels. Variant Dark Loremaster Villains Academic: This villain is a philosopher and scholar who studies the flexible boundaries of life and death, of man and machine, of what alchemy can provide. To accomplish this, he studies all he can, beginning to experiment on corpses and animal life, moving onto sentient subjects once he feels he's learned all he can, in an attempt to further his understanding. Megalomaniac: This villain is obsessed with dominating an area, and believes that soldiers "enhanced" by his treatments are superior to others. To this end, the Dark Loremaster learns all he can about his craft, from the most minor of spells and medical procedures to selecting the perfect candidates. Lore Hunter: A reversal of this villain type, the Lore Hunter studies the methods of the Dark Loremaster so he is better-equipped to destroy them. Back to Deviant.